Housing Strategy 2009-2014 - South Derbyshire District Council

South Derbyshire District Council Housing Strategy 2009 – 2014
5.2.5 Housing need and tenure. The 2007/08 District Strategic Housing Market
Assessment indicates a net shortfall in affordable housing supply of 396 units
per year. The shortfall is higher in the north of the district towards Derby than
the southern urban core around Swadlincote.
5.2.6 In terms of tenure, the Swadlincote urban area has lower entry level prices and
intermediate housing such as homebuy and shared ownership will not compete
with this as well as in Derby sub area and rural areas. The district Strategic
Housing Market Assessment suggests that 90% of the new supply of affordable
housing should be for social rent and 10% intermediate housing in the Swadlincote
urban core. This compares to 60% for social rent: 40% intermediate housing in the
Derby sub-area.
Key Issue: An annual shortfall of 396 affordable homes.
5.3 Housing Needs in rural parishes (settlements of < 3000 residents).
5.3.1 In recent years the district has seen infrastructure investment to some key trunk
roads; particularly road network links to the M1, A50, A38 and A42 making it
easier and quicker to commute both in and out of the district. Improved road
networks are one of the reasons for an increase in the district population.
The draft Regional Spatial Strategy suggested that there be major housing
developments on the fringes of Derby to meet the needs of the City.
5.3.2 Rural settlements tend to be popular with more affluent households. This can
result in pressure on local housing markets at a parish level where there is
limited housing stock but high demand. Members, including some parish council
members, have expressed concern as to the affect this has on the long-term
sustainability of some rural settlements as young people are increasingly finding
it difficult to access housing. Furthermore, the district has seen a large number of
rural social housing units lost through the ‘right to buy’ system to the extent that
there is virtually no affordable housing in some settlements. Ensuring that there
is a range of housing tenures/types is a key issue for the long-term well being of
some rural communities.
5.3.3 In 2006 the Council became an active member and financial contributor to the
local rural partnership known as the ‘Trent Valley Partnership.’ Local housing
needs across all of the rural parishes in the district have now been assessed, see
appendix 6. 171 affordable homes in 32 rural communities have been identified.
For the last 3-years East Midlands Housing Association has been working closely
with the Council to identify and assess suitable sites. This has resulted in funding
being secured to deliver 21 affordable homes in Coton in the Elms and Shardlow.
Suitable sites have also been identified in Etwall, Hatton, Linton and Weston on
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